August 7, 2008

Pictures Of Knives Are Offensive

I received this communication from Apple this evening as to why Slasher was removed:

Slasher has been removed from the App Store based on section 3.3.12 of the iPhone SDK agreement covering objectionable content.

3.3.12 Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or
defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgment may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.

So what this essentially means is that a picture of a knife is deemed offensive and/or objectionable. (I don't see how it could be pornographic, obscene, or defamatory.) Ridiculous. Why do toy stores sell plastic knives to children if they would be so “objectionable”? And if I don't like another App Store developer, all I have to do is complain that their app offends me and Apple will pull the plug on them?

Anyhow, I asked Apple to clarify what exactly is the offensive part so I can correct it. Hopefully I can get Slasher back on the store somehow.